From The Characteristics of The Messenger of Allah (SalAllahu Alayhi Wasallam) – Imam Tirmidhi [279H]

Translated

Abu az-Zubayr Harrison

From “al-Shamail al-Muḥammadiyyah”1

With notes and Hadīth-checking by Shaikh Muḥammad Naṣir ul-Din al-Albani

1. ‘Amr Ibn al-‘Āṣ (RadhiAllahu Anhu) said: The messenger of Allah (SalAllahu Alayhi Wasallam) used to come to even the worst of people yet he would behave with such a noble manner of face and speech such that he would unite them, thereby causing them to love him and one another. And he used to come to me with his manner of face and speech (so noble and kind) that I thought I was the best of all people. So I asked him, “Messenger of Allah, am I better (in the sight of Allah) or Abū Bakr?” He replied, “Abū Bakr.” I then asked, “Am I better or ‘Umar?” He replied, “‘Umar.” Finally, I asked, “Am I better or ‘Uthmān?” He replied, “‘Uthmān.” After I asked him these things and he answered me truthfully, I wished I had never asked him.21

2. Anas Ibn Mālik (RadhiAllahu Anhu) said: I served Allah’s messenger (SalAllahu Alayhi Wasallam)for ten years and he never said a single word of annoyance or impatience to me, never asked of anything I did, “Why did you do that?” and never asked of anything I did not do, “Why did you not do that?” The messenger of Allah (SalAllahu Alayhi Wasallam)used to be the best person in manners and character. I have never felt fleece, silk, or anything else as soft as the hand of Allah’s messenger, and I have never smelled cologne or perfume as fragrant as the prophet’s sweat (SalAllahu Alayhi Wasallam)3

3. Āishah (RadhiAllahu Anha) Allah’s messenger (SalAllahu Alayhi Wasallam)was neither vulgar or obscene in his nature by speech, actions, or characteristics, nor did he act vulgar or obscene. He was not loud or obnoxious in the markets, and he would never retaliate for someone’s bad deed with a bad deed. Rather he would forgive it and thereafter not mention it. 4

4. ‘Āishah (RadhiAllahu Anha) also said: The messenger of Allah (SalAllahu Alayhi Wasallam)never hit anything with his hand unless he were engaged in legitimate, justified battle, and he never hit a servant or a woman.5

5 ‘Āishah (RadhiAllahu Anha ) also said: I never saw the messenger of Allah (SalAllahu Alayhi Wasallam)avenge himself for any injustice committed personally against him, but if something of Allah’s prohibitions was committed then no one became angrier than he. And any time he had a choice between two things, he would always choose the easier of the two as long as it was not sinful.6

6. ‘Āishah (RadhiAllahu Anha) also narrated: A man once asked permission to enter the home of Allah’s messenger (SalAllahu Alayhi Wasallam) while I was home with him and the prophet said: » بِئْسَ ابْنُ العَشِيْرَة )أو( أَخُو العَشِيْرَة « What a mean person Ibn al-‘Ashīrah (or he said: the brother of al-‘Ashīrah) is. Yet he allowed the man to come in and then spoke gently and kindly to him. After the man left, I asked, “Messenger of Allah, you said about him what you said and then you spoke kindly to him?” He replied: » يَا عَاءِشَة إِنَّ مِنْ شَرِّ النَّاسِ مَنْ تَرَكَهُ النَّاسُ أَوْ وَدَعَهُ النَّاسُ اِتِقَاءَ فُحْشِهِ « Āishah, certainly one of the worst people is someone whom others avoid or leave his presence due to his indecency.7

7. Jābir Ibn ‘Abdullah (RadhiAllahu Anhuma) said: The messenger of Allah (SalAllahu Alayhi Wasallam) was never asked for anything8 for which he replied, “No.” 9

8. Ibn ‘Abbās (RadhiAllahu Anhuma) said: The messenger of Allah (SalAllahu Alayhi Wasallam)used to be the most generous person in sharing good things, and he was even more generous during the month of Ramadan until it ended. During that time, the angel Jibrīl would come to him and recite the Quran to him. So when Jibrīl would meet him, Allah’s messenger (SalAllahu Alayhi Wasallam) became more generous than a beneficial breeze.10

NOTES

1 Taken from a summarized version of Imām al-Tirmidhī’s book with notes and the ḥadith checked by Muḥammad Nāṣir al-Dīn al-Albānī; these ḥadith were taken from chapter 48.

2 Recorded by al-Tirmidhī [in his famous collection of ḥadith] (no. 3880), Muslim (no. 2385), and likewise by alBukhārī. al-Albānī said the ḥadith is ḥasan (good).

3 Recorded by al-Tirmidhī (no. 2016), al-Bukhārī in his book “al-Adab” among others, by Muslim, and by Abū Dāwūd. al-Albānī said the ḥadith is ṣaḥīḥ (authentic).

4 Recorded by al-Tirmidhī in his book “al-Birr” (no. 2017). al-Albānī said the ḥadith is authentic.

5 Recorded by Ibn Mājah in his book “Al-Nikāḥ” (no. 1984). al-Albānī said the ḥadith is authentic.

6 Recorded by al-Bukhārī, Muslim, and Abū Dāwūd (no. 4785). al-Albānī said the ḥadith is authentic.

7 Recorded by al-Tirmidhī in his book “al-Birr” (no. 1997), al-Bukhārī in his book “al-Adab,” Muslim (no. 2591), Abū Dāwūd (no. 4791), and Aḥmad (vol. 6 nos. 38, 80, 158, and 173). al-Albānī said the ḥadith is authentic.

8 al-Albānī says, “The meaning is that no one ever asked him for anything good of the worldly life to which he replied, ‘No, I will not give it to you,’ thereby refusing his request. Rather, he would give what is requested if possible, otherwise he would promise to give it to him when the prophet has it or he would supplicate for the person.”

9 Recorded by al-Bukhārī in his book “al-Adab,” Muslim in “al-Faḍāil,” and others. al-Albānī said the ḥadith is authentic.

10 Recorded by al-Bukhārī, Muslim, al-Nasāī, Aḥmad, and others. al-Albānī said the ḥadith is authentic.

11 al-Albānī says, “This characteristic of his (SalAllahu Alayhi Wasallam)is due to his complete reliance on his Lord. However, he used to store provisions for his family sufficient for a year due to their weaker reliance compared to his own. And this is an example for all the breadwinners and family providers among his nation.”

12 Recorded by al-Tirmidhī (no. 2363) and al-Albānī said the ḥadith is authentic.

13 Recorded by al-Tirmidhī in his book “al-Birr,” by Aḥmad, al-Bukhārī, and Abū Dāwūd. al-Albānī said the ḥadith is authentic.